Stewart Back at Practice

A major reinforcement for the Panthers in practice came today when Jonathan Stewart returned to the field. Carolina had an absolutely miserable rushing attack against a below average Buc’s defense last week with Stewart out, so his presence is a great sign. He isn’t certain to take the field on Sunday, but with two days of practice remaining until gameday, he still has plenty of time to get back in the flow of the game. They will need him if they want to have a change against the Saints this weekend.

New Orleans didn’t play very well against the Redskins on Sunday. RGIII absolutely torched their defense, which makes me think Cam Newton may have a favorable matchup. Alfred Morris also played well, which could be good news for the Panthers as well. I don’t think it is possible to see the running game to play any worse than they did last game, so some improvement should be seen even if Stewart doesn’t suit up.

Drew Brees looked hurried and erratic for much of the game. He still racked up the stats by the end of the game and is a dangerous thrower. We could see Brees struggle at times this year. Henderson is now Questionable with a concussion, and judging by recent treatment for concussions, I would be a bit surprised to see him out there. Colston is still a threat, but he hasn’t looked like his potentially dominant self for a while now. Robert Meachem is no longer on the roster which has forced Lance Moore into the number two role. He performed well last game, but has been inconsistent throughout his entire career. The only dominant threat of the offense, besides Brees, seems to be Jimmy Graham. I don’t care what Carolina does, they won’t be able to stop him. The best they can do is limit his damage, and try to keep up with the offense.

New Orleans will get their points, so it will be up to Newton to rebound after last week and put up some points. I think we will see a more effective offense, especially if Stewart is in there, but it will be a challenge for them to score enough. I’ll keep the updates coming on Stewart and the rest of the Panthers.